SPORTS DIGEST: SAMFORD UNIVERSITY TO JOIN THE OVC

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Samford University will join the Ohio Valley Conference, competing in all sports by June 1, 2003, the league announced Tuesday.

Samford has been a member of the Trans America Athletic Conference since 1978 in all sports except football, in which competed as an independent. This will be the first time that all 17 men's and women's sports will be members of the same athletic league.

"With the recent decision of Jacksonville State to become a member, this gives our conference great exposure in Alabama and two fine institutions to assist us in building out our 53 years of excellence," said OVC Commissioner Dan Beebe.

Samford, a Baptist affiliated college, has an enrollment of about 4,500 and will be the first private school in the OVC.